Entertainment
Gauley Bhai announces their return with ‘Sunbari’
This album also reflects the personal journeys of the band members.
Post Report
Gauley Bhai’s second album ‘Sunbari’ will be released on April 4, 2025. This album dives into the everyday experiences of people in the Teesta/Kalimpong region.
‘Sunbari’ highlights moments of change within the mundane, such as the bittersweet relationship depicted in ‘Miley’, where a mother learns to let her daughter spread her wings, and in ‘Dara Pada’, where workers find solace and connection beneath a vibrant rainbow after a long day.
With tracks like ‘Kalo Saap’, which addresses the heavy burden of debt (sense of perennial loss) in agrarian communities through a metaphor, and ‘Kanchinini’, celebrating women breaking free from routine, ‘Sunbari’ captures the essence of transformation within the ordinary.
This album also reflects the personal journeys of the band members, particularly the challenges faced by bassist Anudwatt, whose year-long recovery from an accident inspired a new creative direction. “In the first album, we were all about the bigger, the better,” says guitarist Sidhant Mani Chetrri. “But in this second album, we’ve grown into our sound, and our approach to music is more centred and focused.”
Drummer Joe Panicker describes the evolution of their sound as a transition from “innocent outbursts” to a more reflective and stylistically nuanced expression. ‘Sunbari’ showcases a rich tapestry of musical influences, blending folk blues with contemporary elements inspired by hip-hop and Afrobeat, while lyrically drawing from the cultural motifs and historical narratives of the Kalimpong/Teesta region.
The album will be available on all major streaming platforms on April 4, 2025.